Waiting for You
by Ethereal Mare
Summary: A Gale POV, starting in the first book. It's how he sees things about the Capitol, the Hunger Games, and Katniss.
1. Chapter 1, Part 1

"Hey Catnip," I call out to my best friend, Katniss. Ever since the first time I saw her out here in these woods, when she whispered what sounded like Catnip, I called her that. And the lynx following her about didn't help her protests of the name. To bad she had to kill the lynx, it started to grow on me, but we needed the game it was scaring off.

"Look what I shot," I say, holding up a bag of bread from the bakery, with an arrow threw it. After all, we are hunters, not bakers.

Katniss laughs and inhales the fragrance.

"Mm, still warm," she says. "What did it cost you?"

"Just a squirrel. Think the old man was feeling sentimental this morning. Even wished me luck." And I would need it, unlike them. Those wealthy bakers barely had any tessera, while I had a whooping forty-two, and Katniss had twenty.

"Well, we all feel a little closer today, don't we," she says. Pulling out some cheese she adds "Prim left us cheese."  
>I immediately brighten. Prim, Katniss's eleven year old sister is the sweetest person ever.<p>

"Thank you, Prim. We'll have a real feast," I smile. All of a sudden though, I remember why we have to hunt so early today. It's reaping day. Where we'll have to endure Effy Trinket, an insane person from the Capitol and praying that our names aren't chosen, and feeling sad for those who are. The only good part is that Effy's fun to imitate.

"I almost forgot! Happy Hunger Games!" I mimic her accent while plucking up a few blackberries. "and may the odds-" I toss a berry to Katnoss, who catches it in her mouth, "-be _ever_ in your favor!" she finishes.

Then I pull out a knife to start cutting up the bread, which is our breakfast, along with some goat cheese spread on it. Then, for decoration, for this special day, I place a basil leaf delicately on it. Meanwhile Katniss picks more berries. Then we settle down to eat.

I watch Katniss out of my eye. Once you get to know her, she's a very easy person to read. She's thinking about the mountains and hunting for supper tonight. We could do that, if it was a real holiday. Or if we ran off.

With out meaning to, the words slip right out of my mouth.

"We could do it, you know."

"What?" Katniss asks obliviously.

"Leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. You and I, we could make it." Before I finish speaking, I can tell the idea's lost on Katniss. It would be unbelievable for her to run off, leaving our families. It would be for me too, except in those moments, when I get so sick of being the father in the family, the man, the one who hunts. But not Katniss. Oh no, she revels in it.

So before she gets angry with me for the idea of leaving our families, I add "If we didn't have so many kids." and we do have a lot. My two little brothers and little sister, and of course, Katniss's Prim.

"I never want to have kids," she says.

"I might. If I didn't have to live here," I reply.

"But you do," she says irritatedly.

Of course she says that. Katniss lives in the moment it feels like. She doesn't dream about what could be, like I do.

"Forget it," I say, just as annoyed as she is. The future is always a touchy subject for her. Sometimes I feel like she's annoyed with me, for being me. For being a hunter, which makes you strong. For being strong, which makes you strong in the mines. Which makes you have a secure future, along with hunted food. Which makes girls interested in me. And as Prim once told me, being attractive helps too.

* * *

><p>So we go fishing, getting some nice food for tonight, which is suppose to be a big celebration of the beginning of the Hunger Games.<p>

After that we head over to hob to sell to the traders there, mainly Greasy Sae. And then we get to the mayor's.

I hate Mayor Undersee. This is his district, he's suppose to take care of it! But instead, he let's people starve to death, like Katniss almost did. And for some reasons unknown to me, she's friends with his daughter.

And the daughter, Madge, just happens to open the door. Of course, she's wearing an expensive white dress, her hair all prettily done up in a pink ribbon. I can't help but say,

"Nice dress." She shoots me a look, trying to see if I'm being nice and complimenting her, or just being me and ironic. She presses her lips together like she's just goning to ignore me, but then she speaks.

"Well, if I end up going to the Capitol, I want to look nice, don't I?" And now she's trying to be all cute and clever and mess with me. But to me, it's just like she's making fun of us, how we are much more likely to go then she is, so she jests about it.

"_You_ won't be going to the Capitol," I say coolly. The sun glints on something gold, real gold. A pin, on her dress. A family could survive on it, if they knew how to make it last.

"What do you have? Five entries? I had six when I was just twelve years old." of course, Katniss has to go stand up for her.

"That's not her fault." I mentally roll my eyes.

"No, it's no one's fault," I say. But really, it's her fathers. If he didn't let us starve, we wouldn't have to sign up for so many tessera. "Just the way it is," I finish. Madge ignores me for the rest of the transaction.

"Good luck, Katniss."

"You too," Katniss dutifully replies. Or maybe not. Maybe she really is wishing he luck.

We start to walk back to the Seam. This is all the stupid Capitol's fault, making us participate in the Hunger Games. They make us, the Seam folk, hate the wealthy for not having to risk their lives like us. And that hate divides us, not allowing a rebellion to form.

I must look angry, because Katniss keeps on glancing at me. We arrive in the Seam, which looks like the Mayor's trash heap, where we spilt up the food.

"See you in the square," said Katniss.

"Wear something pretty," I reply flatly, thinking of Madge's dress.

I walk to my house, were the rest of my family is already getting ready.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello there.<strong>

**I hope you liked my story! Two things: 1. I kinda treated this like you haven't read the books in the beginning, like what Suzanne Collins did, (because I was looking at the book as you can see my story and hers interlap) but then I realized that you guys don't need it too much so I sorta stopped. 2. ****Please review. **

**Thankss!**


	2. Chapter 2, Part 1

My family and I walk towards the town square. My two brothers, Rory and Vick are both old enough to be herded into the Reapeé section, but thankfully towards the back as they are fourteen and twelve. My mom takes Posy to the outsides, because she's only nine.

I walk up to the very front, where the eighteen year old section is. As I walk down, I see Katniss the sixteen year old section.

And then, I hear two betters going at it.

"My bets go on the oldest Everdeen girl, Katniss, I think. And Hawthorne, Gale Hawthorne.

Apparently they have _very_high chances," the first one says. My heart starts pounding. We certainly do have high chances of being chosen. The other better laughs.

"If that happens, the question won't be which one will live the longest, but who will die first. Have you seen all the game they bring in? Amazing shots. One of them will win for sure."  
>Well thanks for the votes of confidence I think to myself. There can only be one victor. Twenty-three <em>must <em>die.

I turn my attention from them to the stage. Effie Trinket, all pink haired and spring green suit stands there talking to the mayor. They look troubled. Good. Anything that annoys them or is bad for them is good for me.

The clock strikes two, the mayor must start to read about how the amazing Capitol saved us from all these disasters. And how even after the Capitol's amazing kindness, District Thirteen has to rise up and attack the Capitol, but they're brutally defeated, and as punishment for the districts the Hunger Games are made. So the Hunger Games aren't the Capitol's fault, but District Thirteen's, they say. But really, it's both's fault.

The same old routine goes on, talking about our two victor's in the past seventy-four years. You'd think that they'd change it up a bit.

All of a sudden, just as the mayor speaks of him, Haymitch Abernathy staggers up onto the stage, drunk. Of course, the mayor and Effie looked offended by his lateness and drunkenness.  
>Which, of course me laugh. As a recovery, Effie comes up.<p>

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" said Effie, in her Capitol accent. She continues on saying how pleased she is to be here, not noticing her wig slipping. I smile, and look back at Katniss, remembering the morning.

Then my heart starts to pound, thinking of the two betters. "They have _very _high chances." We do.

I turn away from Katniss.

"Ladies first!" Effie says as she reaches into the glass ball. It's so silent, you could hear a pin drop.

She reaches in deep, digging her hand around.

I'm desperately hoping that it's not Katniss. My hearts pounding louder than ever.

Effie walks back to the center of the stage to the podium.  
>"Primrose Everdeen."<p>

And for a moment, my heart stops beating.

Katniss would never let Prim take any tesserae. Never. They got in a fight once about it, I think. And she's only twelve! There must be a mistake! Not little Prim, and her goat!

The crowd j murmur sympathetically. Even they feel bad for a twelve year old to be chosen.

Prim walks by me as I hear shouting.

"Prim! Prim!" I turn around to see who it is. Katniss. All of a sudden she starts running. I watch it, as if time is going slowly.

You can see, her open book of a face, what is going to happen. She's going to save Prim.  
>"I volunteer!" Katniss gasps. "I volunteer as tribute!"<p>

She's shoved Prim behind her. No one will take Prim away from her. I'm frozen. The scene processing through my mind.

Prim of Katniss? I think to myself. Katniss, my inner voice replies. But she won't be happy watching Prim die. But it's better that she's safe. She can't do it! But it's too late. She's on the stage, Prim clinging onto her back.

I walk up and help Katniss free herself, pulling the screaming Prim away. I can see Katniss trying hard not to cry. I try to do the same, but as I speak, you can hear the shakes in my voice.

"Up you go, Catnip."

Still holding onto Prim, I carry her off to Mrs. Everdeen. Then I quickly return to my spot, just in time to hear, "Come on, everybody! Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" Effie says brightly, as if she had not seen Prim screaming, or Katniss saving her sister from death.

I would rather go into the Hunger Games myself then clap Katniss away to them. Out of the corner of my eye, I see an elderly man touch three fingers of his left hand, then extend them out to Katniss. The old salute of District 12, for those you admire, when you're saying goodbye. I copy him, as does the rest of the crowd.

Then Haymitch comes up to her and starts trying to molest her or something, while saying she has more spunk than the audience watching this. And then, after insulting us, he falls into the crowd. We all back away, allowing a stretcher to come through.

"What an exciting day!" Effie warbles as she attempted to straighten her wig, which has listed severely to the right. "But more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!" Clearly trying to contain her tenuous hair situation, she plants one hand on her head as she crosses to the ball that contains the boy's name and grabs the first slip she encounters. She zips back to the podium, my heart beating fast. But, I'm not sure now if it is hoping to not get chosen.  
>"Peeta Mellark."<p>

I let out a sigh of relief. But then I think, should I volunteer to keep her safe? And yet again, words I had been thinking earlier come back to me.

"There can only be one victor. Twenty-three _must _die."

Katniss will survive. She must.

I sound out the rest of the Mayor's speech, just watching Katniss, taking not of all her details, incase she doesn't come back. But she must! the desperate and optimistic parts of me think. Hasn't she proven to you that she can survive? And without help, but she will get sponsors. Once you see her, all her beauty, but still that deadly hunter in her, and then the love that she has, you can't help but fall in love with her.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello there again! <strong>

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	3. Chapter 3, Part 1

Katniss is herded away with Peeta by the Peacekeepers. I follow from a distance, allowing Prim and her mother to get ahead. Family first. I see Peeta's family going to visit him to, and Madge heading back to the building for some reason. Whatever, I pushed her from my mind. Katniss was all that mattered now. But then, for a moment, I hesitated. What about Rory, Vick, Posy, and my mother? I stopped walking and looked around for them. When I saw my mother, I headed over to her.

"What are you doing?" she asked me confusedly.

"Making sure you're okay..." I replied, just as confused by her voice.

"Well, obviously, we're okay. Go check up on the ones who aren't."

I smiled at my mom. She seemed to understand me and Katniss's relationship.

"Thanks mom."

I went back to my original course, to the Justice Building. Horrible memories flashed through my mind.

When I had to come here for my fathers funeral ceremony.

The grief that came.

I shake my head, like it's possible to shake away the memories.

I head over to the line outside Katniss's room in the Justice building. Prim and Mrs. Everdeen were just exiting. I look at them. Words were impossible to get out. Mrs. Everdeen shakes her head. I laugh. You could tell what she was thinking, so I just said it out loud.

"Katniss will be Katniss." And then I hugged them. While I was hugging Prim, I whispered into her ear "It's not your fault. Whatever anyone says, what ever you think. It's not your fault."

She smiled at me, grabs her mother's hand and walks out. I look to see who else was waiting to see Katniss. Madge. I immediately glared at her.

"Katniss will be Katniss? What's that suppose to mean?" she asks, as if I were making fun of Katniss.

"If you have to ask, you'll never know," I reply coldly. She glared back.

"You're not very nice, you know," Madge primly informs me.

"I'm not suppose to be nice. I'm suppose to keep myself and others alive. You don't survive by being nice." I say.

It looked like she was about to retort, but then someone with their back to me walked out of the room, and the Peacekeepers told Madge to go in.

I guess Katniss was probably one of Madge's better friends because she had so few. They didn't even interact that much.

I had several minutes to plan what to say to Katniss in the few minutes I would be able to talk to her, maybe for the last time. Finally, Madge came out. If she hadn't come I probably would have had more time to talk to Katniss.

I headed into the room, anxious to see how Katniss would look. This probably wasn't easy for her, seeing all the people she cared about say their farewells. It wasn't easy for me once, imagine it five times, as I included Madge, since while I hated her, Katniss still liked her for some reason.

At the sight of my best friend so miserable, I just opened up my arms, which she fell into, relieved. Katniss feels just so nice. Soft, but not in that weak, scrawny way.

We finally break apart, getting down to business.

"Listen. Getting a knife should be pretty easy, but you have to get your hands on a bow. That's your best chance." The hunter with her natural weapons would survive.

"They don't always have bows," said Katniss.

"Then make one. Even a weak bow is better than no bow at all," I say. I know she's not the best bow maker, but what I say is true for her. She is strong, but not strong enough to use a mace or some other kind of hammer.

"I don't even know if there'll be wood," says Katniss. My mind flashes back to the one games that didn't. Everybody froze to death, not many exciting killings. The audience in the Capitol hates having boring Games.

"There's almost always some wood, since that year half of them died in the cold. Not much entertainment in that."

Katniss's face shows that she's thinking back to that year.

"Yes, there's usually some," she says. She seems distracted, off her game. If that happens, well, that can't happen.

"Katniss, it's just hunting. You're the best hunter I know," I say, trying to be reassuring. Well pretty much the only one I know, but whatever boosts her confidence, I think grimly.

"Its not just hunting. They're armed. They think."

"So do you. And you've had more practice. Real practice. You know how to kill." Why is she being so stubborn? She has to kill to survive! Why doesn't she seem to get that?

"Not people," Katniss says.

"How different can it be, really?" I truthfully.

All of a sudden, I get a flashback to that one time, where it wasn't really that different. But it was a mercy kill. He asked to die, rather than be sent back from where ever he came from, or to the Capitol.

"Out there, the world is all the same. You think the Capitol is bad, it is. But so are other places. Don't get so quick to trust people. Always be wary, always be watching. Even those closest to you can hurt you. Death is the only way out," the man told me.

"Well then, we'll take out the Capitol and then face the other bad things!" I had said defiantly. He just laughed.

"You see, boy, they will help rid yourself of the Capitol. Then your districts will merge with them, become them. You won't be able to tell what you're doing is wrong."

"I will. Or other people will. Good people, people with hope, which you definitely don't have. So tell me where you're coming from!" I shouted angrily at him. Again, he just laughed and smiled.

"Like I said, they'll take out the Capitol with you. One enemy at a time, right?" he told me mockingly. And then, in my anger, I shot him. To clean up the mess, I dumped his body in a river, flowing in the way he had come from. I came back to the District, never telling anyone about it.

And then, I'm back in reality, the Peacekeepers pushing me out.

"Please, can I have more time?" I beg them. They shake their heads. I hear Katniss yell out.

"Don't let them starve!" Her hand is holding mine. This cooed be our lest touch, our last conversation.

"I won't! You know I won't! Katniss, remember I-" I promised.

It was a beautiful sunny day, we were out hunting in the forest, under the shadowy canopies. So far the spring had been a wet one, so the stream we were walking next to was almost overflowing. Walking around quietly, I saw an apple tree. Even as it was spring, and almost summer, there were apples on it. But they were small, and sweet looking. Summer apples. We headed over there and started collecting. Posy loves apples, but they're rare.

Oh, Posy. My little sister was cuter than Prim, if I may say so myself. My mind started wandering off. To the Hunger Games.

"Promise me Katniss, that if something ever happens, you'll help me take care of my family. I promise to not let Prim and your mother starve," I said, realizing that it was rather random. Katniss had looked surprised, but immediately agreed. And so that was our pact, that we would care for each others families the best we could.

* * *

><p>I glare at the Peacekeepers one last time, and then I leave. This day, which started out so carefree and innocent has turned out to be horrid. It comes in second place, only being beaten by the day my father died. Nothing could beat that day.<p>

Before I start remembering that day, I block it out of my head. I don't need anymore misery in my life right now. So instead of heading back home to sit with my family, and possibly Prim and her mother, I head out to the forest.

By that river where I put the body in, is a nice climbable tree, lots of branches to sit on. And so I sit and listen to the birds, shooting at squirrels or any passing by animals. I'll have to do more hunting now that Katniss is gone.

Finally just as the sun starts to set I head back to the Seam, to my house, stopping briefly to sell the meat to Greasy Sae. If its out in the open to long, it'll rot.

After, I head home. Everyone is gathered around the table, Prim and her mother included.

As we eat, we watch the tiny television in the corner. It replays the reaping. I only take note of two.

The huge boy who volunteered in District 2, a definite Career. All that muscle on him and the arrows might not have a full effect.

And the girl from District 11. The one who looks like Prim. Who Katniss will ally with, because of that resemblance. Who Katniss may have to kill to come back. The thing that could break her, even if the little girl just dies.

And finally, our District. Which the stupid commentators make fun of. But they're from the Capitol, so not understanding deep things happening in front of their eyes is to be expected. At least Haymitch falling made me laugh.

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4, Part 1

The next day, I woke up and started doing my normal routine. Rise with the sun, go out hunting. I almost paused at Katniss's and my usual meeting place, but then I had to force myself to keep going. I hunted, went to the Hob, our usual customers, except for the Mellarks. I went to them last, saving a nice plump squirrel.

The father opened the door. I showed him the squirrel.

"Free of charge," I said. He took it, and as I was turning around, he caught my shoulder. So I turned back around, annoyed. I didn't want thanks, I wanted, well, I didn't know what I wanted, but it wasn't thanks. But he wasn't offering me thanks. He had two loaves of bread in his hands.

"I promised her that I would help take care of the little girl," he said. "They're a little stale, but better than nothing, right?" I nodded.

"Thank you," I told him. He looked as if he was going to say something, but using the pause as an escape, I left. He didn't call me back.

The rest of the day, I did almost nothing. Meaning, I just played with Posy, Vick, and Rory. Prim was at her house.

Then came the evening. The time for viewing the tributes, a debutante ball. It almost seemed as if that was what it was based off of because they had to dress up all prettily, except if their district had an ugly main product, like ours. Coal. Hopefully though, they wouldn't be naked, like that one time. Quite a laugh for the Capitol, not so much for us.

Again, the Everdeen's, or what was left of them, came over for dinner and to watch the opening ceremony.

As usual, it went in District order. And so therefore, it steadily got worse. All the good stylists were with the beginning, because they were richer and had prettier main products.

That was almost always true. Except for this time.

This time, they were saving the best for last.

Katniss and Peeta came into view, walking hand in hand, like no other tributes. And they were on fire.

The commentators were going on and on about the wonderful technology Portia and Cinna had used. They didn't seem to catch the fact that those two "lucky tributes" were burning up.

Everyone in the room was staring, confused. All of a sudden, Rory let out a breath.

"I see! It's fake fire!" he said. "The commentators are talking about it," he added at our confused looks.

So then the room became silent, everyone hanging onto every word of the commentators.

And then President Snow came to give his speech on the balcony. Even though the camera was suppose to pay equal attention to all the districts, it kept on coming back to 12. Which was a first that I was grateful for.

As usual, Snow's speech was pretty much the same as always, which easily allowed me to tune it out and watch Katniss and Peeta. Both of them kept on glancing up at something. Maybe it was what the TV showed us.

Then it was over, for now. As the commentators said, "Tomorrow folks, there'll be interviews from the Capitol chaperone! Their plans and what they thought of this evenings activities. So stay tuned!"

"Oh, how exciting," said Prim sarcastically. "I just can't wait for Effie Trinket and her fellow idiots to go on about their tributes, who are all most amazing and how both of them will win the Games, even though that's not possible, but it will happen because their tributes are so incredible.'"

Everyone in the room laughed at that, remembering last years District 2 chaperone. She had gone on and on about her tributes, for once, neither were Careers though. They were killed almost immediately in the initial bloodbath. District 2 seemed rather annoyed and humiliated by that, and this year, with that big boy, they would actually have a decent shot.

"This year, they might have a decent shot, if Katniss wasn't in it," I said out loud, reassuring both myself and Mrs. Everdeen who by the looks on face had been thinking along the same lines that I was.

* * *

><p>When I get home from hunting, I turned on the television. The first things I see is a powder blue face, making me jump back from the screen, while letting out a yell. Posy laughs at me.<p>

"Galey, it's just Caesar Flickerman! He looks so funny!" she giggles. I smile and is about to respond when I see Effie Trinket sitting next to him.

"Shhhh Posy! It's our District's escort!" I shush her.

"So, Effie, out of all your years as a district escort, has any of your tributes made a flare as big as these two?" says Caesar Flickerman.

"No, I must say, these two have blown my mind away more than any previous tributes."

"Since they are District 12, we all do have our reservations though because they _are _the coal district and haven't had a victor since the most humorous Haymitch Abernathy!"

"Well you see Caesar, if you put enough pressure on coal if turns to pearls!" Effie beamed at the cameras.

"Galey, where's some coal? I want to have pearls!" Posy shouts right next to me. "And then we can sell them for food so you won't have to hunt so much! And you can be home more to play with me!"

"Posy, coal turns into shellfish that make the pearls, not directly into pearls. And it takes a very long time," I tell her, making her smile slide off.

"How long?" she asked.

"Longer than you or I have been alive. Sorry Pose," I say. But seeing her look so dishearten, I pat the seat next to me. "Come on, let's watch Effie Trinket try to help your favorite tribute!" Posy smiles. She loves Katniss.

Caesar and Effie have moved onto training and strategies.

"Well Caesar, I can't tell you too much, it's a _huge_ secret what they're planning to do. But let me assure you, it'll work. District 12's streak is just getting started!" Effie said excitedly.

"Thank you very much for your time today Effie!" Caesar dismissed her. "And folks! The day after tomorrow training scores come out, and the next day is interviews! Make sure you tune in for those!"

Yeah, like we really have a choice, I thought. The interviews were mandatory to watch, but the training scores weren't so much because they were almost always mentioned in the interviews.

Next to me, Posy was almost asleep.

"Come on Pose, we have squirrel for dinner," I whisper to her, as a pick her up to carry her to the table. "After dinner you can go to sleep."

* * *

><p>This time, we gather at the Everdeen's house to watch the interviews. Katniss got an amazing score of eleven already. All she needs is to be fantastic in the interviews, and she'll pick up enough sponsors to help her win the Games for sure.<p>

The first person on, Glimmer, from District 1. Everyone in the tiny house stares at her, aghast at her dress. Mrs. Everdeen and my mom seem to think that the dress is inappropriate because it's see through. But I don't mind that part. What annoys me is that she is thin, but by choice. Not like us here. If we could, we'd all have huge stomachs because that means you have enough food, enough food so you won't starve go death, like what happens pretty much every day.

But she is a nice sight to look at, and she seems witty, for a District 1 tribute. It blows my mind how people can become Careers when they have such a nice district, where people don't starve in the streets.

I shake my head to clear it again. The difference between districts doesn't matter right now. What matters right now is that Katniss plays the audience to get sponsors. And by the looks of it, it seems like there aren't going to be any new angles left for her to play at.

The small tribute from 11 makes the crowds go quite. Would they do this for Prim if she was there? Would they fall in love with this little girl too? Or is there only room for one in their hearts?

It doesn't matter, I think to myself. Prim isn't there, no matter how much you wish she was or wasn't. Because, right now, I realize that I truly want Katniss here, more than I want Prim.

But then my brain shuts up because District 12 is up. And ladies first right?

And if I thought District 1 was beautiful, then there are no words to describe Katniss. She was so beautiful, it was stunning.

"So Katniss, the Capitol must be quite a change from District Twelve. What's impressed you most since you arrived here?" asked Caesar.

Katniss looks like one of those animals we hunt, who are smart enough to know that they are going to get caught, because they're cornered.

"The lamb stew," she says. Caesar and the rest of the audience laughs. I even let out a shaky chuckle.

"The one with the dried plums?" Caesar says. Katniss nods.

"Oh I eat it by the bucketful." He turns sideways to the audience in horror, hand on his stomach. "It doesn't show, does it?" And his pet the audience assures him that he looks "as great as ever" and applauds him. But at least Caesar is giving time for Katniss to recompose herself.

Caesar continues on confidently.  
>"Now, Katniss, when you came out in the opening ceremonies, my heart actually stood. What did you think of the costume?" he asks. I notice that Katniss is looking in the crowd at someone, who she glances at before responding.<p>

"You mean after I got over my fear of being burned alive?" she asks. Everyone on this side of the screen laughs, as does the audience too.

"Yes. Start then," say Caesar. Again, Katniss glances at the person in the audience.

"I thought Cinna was brilliant and it was the most gorgeous costume I'd ever seen and I couldn't believe I was wearing it. I can't believe I'm wearing this, either," she says as she lifts up her skirt to spread it out. "I mean, look at it."

And immediately, everyone in the Everdeen house obeys her command. It is gorgeous. And then Katniss stands up and twirls in it, looking like a beautiful, fiery flower, making Caesar exclaim "Oh, do that again!"

And the skirt flies up, looking like she is almost engulfed in flames. The audience cheers for her, and she stops and clutches Caesar's arm.

"Don't stop!" he says.

"I have to, I'm dizzy!" Katniss giggles. Which is a first. I'm pretty sure this is the first time Katniss has ever giggled. And Prim, echoing my thoughts, asks out loud, slowly and confusedly, "Is this the first time she's ever made that noise?"

I look around at everyone else in the room, whom are all nodding, myself included. But then we focus at the screen.

"Don't worry, I've got you. Can't have you following in your mentor's footsteps," Caesar says, wrapping an arm around her. Looks like Caesar is actually copying Haymitch, since he almost molested Katniss on camera too.

Everyone laughs, and the camera points at Haymitch, who looks sober enough to direct them back to Katniss.

"It's all right," Caesar reassures the crowd. "She's safe with me. So how about that training score. E-le-ven. Give us a hint what happened in there."

This time Katniss glances at the Gamemakers instead of the mystery audience man.

"Um... All I can say, is I think it was a first."

The screen immediately points to the Gamemakers, who are chuckling and nodding. This makes me curious. What did she do?

Caesar looks as if he actually is in pain as he says "You're killing us. Details. Details."

Katniss looks at the balcony again.

"I'm not suppose to talk about it, right?"

"She's not!" a Gamemaker shouts out.

"Thank you. Sorry. My lips are sealed." Some people in the crowd look annoyed almost. But great ol' Caesar changes the subject to something everyone wants to know.

"Let's go back then, to the moment they called your sister's name at the reaping," says Caesar. His mood is quieter now. "And you volunteered. Can you tell us about that?"

"Her name's Prim. She's just twelve. And I love her more than anything." Prim smiles softly. You can tell she feels the same way about Katniss.

"What did she say to you? After the reaping?" Caesar asks.

"She asked me to try really hard to win."

"And what did you say?" prompts Caesar gently. Katniss tenses up, getting that hard look in her eye, the look she gets before she is going to kill.

"I swore I would," said Katniss, her voice icy.

"I bet you did," says Caesar, giving her a squeeze. The buzzer goes off. "Sorry we're out of time. Best of luck, Katniss Everdeen, tribute from District 12."

Everyone applauds her as she goes to sit down, and still after that.

And now it is Peeta's turn. Peeta plays a little sweet, funny, baker's boy, making the audience laugh.

I don't know very much about Peeta, besides that he is one of the sons of the baker, and in Katniss's year. Apparently he's pretty nice, but as I've never spoken to him, I just assume he is. Which makes it such a shame that he's going to have to die, because he will, if Katniss is to survive.

Caesar starts to ask more personal questions as the interview coves along.

"So Peeta, back home, do you have a girlfriend?" Peeta hesitates, then gives an unconvincing shake of his head.

"Handsome lad like you. There must be some special girl. Come on, what's her name?" says Caesar.

Peeta sighs. "Well, there is this one girl. I've had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the reaping."

Sounds of sympathy from the crowd. Unrequited love they can relate to. Probably one of the few things we share in common.

"She have another fellow?" asks Caesar.

"I don't know, but a lot of boys like her," says Peeta.

"So here's what you do. You win, you go home. She can't turn you down then, eh?" Caesar says encouragingly.

But then, all of a sudden, my heart plummets. The look on his face says it all to me.

"I don't think it's going to work out. Winning... won't help my case," says Peeta, confirming my theory. Of course, Caesar doesn't understand.

"Why ever not?" says Caesar, mystified.

Peeta blushes beet red and stammers out. "Because... because... she came here with me."

I glance around the room, judging everybody's reactions. Obviously, they didn't see what I saw, so it came more as a shock, in just one explosion, instead of a build up of understanding for me. But then, Prim shocks us all, or at least me.

"He's faking. He's obviously faking! Didn't you guys see how he kept on glancing at Haymitch? They must've planned it out before hand, but didn't tell Katniss obviously," she pointed to the screen, "to make it look more realistic. Everyone who knows Katniss well enough knows that she's an awful actress."

We all nodded it was true. And it did make sense. Peeta, a town boy, would never fall in love with a Seam girl, but never once speak to her. He would've gotten himself noticed by her.

"Yeah, and it will help both of them survive. Everyone will want to help the star-crossed lovers from the district that never shines until now," I speak up. "People will want to give the 'couple' a chance to let their 'love' blossom."

I looked back at the screen. The anthem was playing, during our discussion we must've missed the ending of Peeta's interview.

"Well, I'm going back with Posy to put her to bed. Vick and Rory, you two should come back too, and you too Gale, you can watch more Hunger Games at our house." So we all stood up and left, going back home, leaving Prim and her mother at their house.

* * *

><p><strong>So this was a long chapter (for me). I couldn't find a good place to split it in half, so it just ended up being really long. <strong>

**And now, here are my thank you's!**

**Thank you...**

**PeetaIsSmoking**

**and**

**Prelude to a Kiss (you're pretty awesome, you know that?)**

**Until next time folks!**


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